During forging, it has long been the custom to hold the part to be forged by means of gripping tongs. Even when the method is carried out with a forging device having a ram and a die, that is to say with a hammer, the part lying in the die is held by means of a forging gripper. This prevents the workpiece from shifting in the impression. When the method is carried out by means of hammers, after forging by the first impression, the part lying in the die is successively placed in the following impression if a number of impressions are provided, until the part to be forged has passed through the further impressions to the final impression. In the case of such forging devices formed as hammers, the kinetic energy of the ram is used for shaping the workpieces. Examples of hammers that are used as forging hammers are drop hammers, hydraulic hammers and also counterblow hammers.
Apart from the forging devices formed as hammers, forging presses are known, in which the compressive forces are transmitted by means of a path-controlled press ram. These allow good forging results to be achieved, albeit also with relatively high initial costs. Moreover, not such high numbers of cycles per unit of time can be achieved as in the case of a forging hammer.
There is known from DE 31 29 482 C2 a forging press with a plurality of impressions formed one adjacent the other in the direction of passing through. Automatic transport of the workpieces is effected, but when a workpiece has been placed into an impression, the transporting device is withdrawn, that is to say is separated from the tool, while the forging operation is carried out. A comparable method and a comparable forging press are known from DE 199 58 846 A1. In this connection, it is also generally known from DE 33 23 359 C2 to handle forged parts automatically in a forging method. To be specific, here it is proposed to forge on an auxiliary body, which may be used for the engagement of transporting tongs and for the accurate positioning of a forged part in an impression.
On the basis of a forging method that is performed on a forging hammer, as presupposed at the beginning, the invention is concerned in first instance with the object of providing a drop forging method with a forging device having a ram and a die which, while making use of the generally more advantageous initial costs and high achievable numbers of cycles of such a device, nevertheless makes a high degree of automation possible, without having to accept disadvantages in the forging quality that is customary for such devices.
Furthermore, the invention is also concerned with the object of providing a drop forging device, with a ram and a die, which, while making use of the advantageous initial costs of such a device, makes forging with a high degree of automation and high achievable numbers of cycles possible, without having to accept disadvantages in quality.